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SCHOLAR PORTAL
Kansas City Art Institute logo featuring a grid of black squares with the initials "KCAI" within four of the squares symbolizes a world of creative careers and scholarships.
A person walks across a paved pathway at the entrance to Kansas City Art Institute, with modern and red-brick historic buildings in the background, contemplating future careers and the scholarships that can make their dreams possible.

Kansas City Art Institute Fast Facts

An empty white background serves as a clean slate, perfect for envisioning future careers or the pursuit of that dream scholarship.

4 miles from KC Scholars office

An empty white background serves as a clean slate, perfect for envisioning future careers or the pursuit of that dream scholarship.

Location: Kansas City, MO

A completely blank white background, much like a fresh start in one's career.

Type of Institution: Private, Bachelor Degree (4-year)

Undergraduate Student Population
Small (Less than 5,000)

This information is for Traditional and Adult Learner Scholars who receive a KC Scholars award.

Click here for infirmation about the KCAI-Specific scholarship

Campus
Experience

  • Are students required to live on campus? Yes, Required for first-year students under the age of 21
  • Adult Learner Specific Supports Available
  • Dedicated Resources for 1st Gen Students

Financial
Information

  • Annual Tuition 2025-2026:
    $44,000
  • Book Fees: Able to charge to the student account, if funds are available
  • FAFSA Application Code: 002473
  • 2026 Estimated Housing and Meals Cost: $14,100
  • Classification for Undocumented Students: N/A
  • Additional Institutional Aid Available to Undocumented Students
  • Additional Funding Offered to KC Scholars

Academic
Experience

  • Student to Faculty Ratio: 10:1
  • In-Person Courses
  • Online Learning
  • Day Courses
  • Evening Courses

Application
Information

  • Application Priority Deadline: Dec. 1st
    Freshman deadline:
    Feb. 1st
    Transfer deadline:
    Mar. 1st
  • Minimum Admission Requirements:
    Portfolio Required
  • Application Fee: Waived - Request Details
  • Financial Aid Priority Deadline: Dec. 1st (early action); Feb. 1st (regular)

Tuition Note: Tuition shown is based on full-time, in-person enrollment. Actual tuition charged to KC Scholars awardees may be lower for those who receive federal, state, and/or institutional aid. This institution provides additional funding for KC Scholars. Click Here for details.

Click here to download a printable PDF version of the above section

KCAI College-Specific Information Below

The information below is specific to the College-Specific award.
Costs, eligibility and requirements may differ from the information shown above for Traditional and Adult Learners who receive a KC Scholars award.

The KCAI-Specific Scholarship will award $13,500 each fall and spring semester of full time enrollment. Award not available for summer. The award replaces all other forms of merit-based aid.

Campus
Experience

  • Adult Learner Specific Supports Available
  • Dedicated Resources for 1st Gen Students

Financial
Information

  • Annual Tuition 2025-2026:
    $44,000
  • Book Fees: Able to charge to the student account, if funds are available
  • FAFSA Application Code: 002473
  • 2026 Estimated Housing and Meals Cost: $14,100
  • Classification for Undocumented Students: N/A
  • in the Financial information column of chart...KCAI-Specific Scholarship Available to Undocumented Students
  • in the Financial Information column of chart...Additional Funding Offered to KC Scholars with College-Specific Award

Academic
Experience

  • Student to Faculty Ratio: 10:1
  • In-Person Courses
  • Online Learning
  • Day Courses
  • Evening Courses

Application
Information

  • Application Priority Deadline: Dec. 1st
    Freshman deadline:
    Feb. 1st
    Transfer deadline:
    Mar. 1st
  • Minimum Admission Requirements:
    Portfolio Required
  • Application Fee: Waived - Request Details
  • Financial Aid Priority Deadline: Feb. 1st

For more information about this College-Specific Scholarship, including what Scholarship funds can be used for, read the KCAI section of the College-Specific Program Guidelines.

Tuition Note: Tuition shown is based on full-time, in-person enrollment. Actual tuition charged to KC Scholars awardees may be lower for those who receive federal, state, and/or institutional aid. 

*Rolling Applications: No set application deadline. Applications are evaluated as they are submitted and admissions are then sent.

Click here to download a printable PDF version of the KCAI-Specific section
A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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